The American College of Sports Medicine's annual American Fitness Index is out, and while Indianapolis lands in last place again… it’s not all bad news.
The index, now in its 9th year, ranks 50 U.S. cities based on factors such as spending on parks and recreation, obesity and smoking rates and diet.
The fitness report measures the fifty largest metropolitan statistical areas, nationwide.
Indianapolis area residents saw a 15 percent increase in the percentage of people who reported physical activity within a month and an eight percent increase in the number of farmer’s markets.
But the data shows an 11 percent drop in people who walk or bike to work and a decrease in the percentage of people who are in excellent health.
Professor at the IU Center for Aging Research and VP with American College of Sports Medicine, or ACSM, Dr. Nicole Keith says the assessment takes a look at data that is a few years old and may not be reflective of where the city is today.
“There are areas where Indianapolis is doing great, if you look at for example, the Monon Trail and the Cultural Trail… those don’t count into the AFI,” she says.
The AFI has been around since 2008, when Indianapolis was ranked 34th. But for the last two years, the capital city has been on the bottom. Keith says the report is important because of the impression that it makes.
“Corporations look at these things and so we can say we’re proud of our community,” Keith explains. “We know we’re making strides, but we have to make this better if we want to attract more businesses and more families to our community.”
Other Indiana communities are reflected in the report that also includes metro areas like Chicago… ranking 12th and Louisville landing in 48th.
Keith says she hopes the ranking doesn’t deter good work that’s being done in the community.
“Encourage our residents to say, yes, keep doing that, keep encouraging your neighbors and your family to be healthy, because it eventually it will be reflected on these national surveys,” she says. “It just takes time.”
